Zoom lens

ABSTRACT

A zoom lens is provided and has a first group having a positive refractive power, a second group having a negative refractive power, an aperture stop, a third group having a positive refractive power and a fourth group having a positive refractive power, which groups are arranged in this order from the object side. The first group has a three-group four-lens configuration where a cemented lens of a negative lens and a positive lens, and two positive single-lenses and are disposed in this order from the object side. The second group has a three-group four-lens configuration where two single-lenses and each having a negative refractive power with a strong concave surface on the image side, and a cemented lens of a double-concave lens and a positive lens are disposed in this order from the object side.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a high-power zoom lens, which has azoom ratio of about 24 to 34 times and which can be used in a videocamera, an electronic still camera, etc., and particularly relates to aminiaturized high-power zoom lens, which can be used suitably for asurveillance video camera.

2. Description of Related Art

For example, as a zoom lens heretofore used in a video camera, anelectronic still camera, etc., there is known a four-group system zoomlens in which a first group and a third group are set as fixed groups,and a second group is moved along an optical axis so as to performzooming, while the fluctuation of the imaging position caused by thezooming is compensated by moving the fourth group along the opticalaxis. Japanese Patent No. 3601733 discloses a configuration in which afifth group is added as another fixed group in order to obtain a zoomlens having a wider angle and a higher zoom ratio than such a four-groupsystem zoom lens.

The configuration disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3601733 can obtain ahigh-power zoom lens having a zoom ratio of about 18 to 20 times. Inrecent years, however, there has grown a request for a miniaturizedsurveillance zoom lens which has higher optical performance supporting ahigher pixel-density camera and which has a zoom ratio of about 24 to 34times high enough to cover a wider imaging range. In order to increasethe power to about 24 to 34 times in the aforementioned four-groupsystem zoom lens, the axial chromatic aberration and the sphericalaberration caused by the first group and increasing in the telephoto endhas to be suppressed. In addition, the moving distances of the movablegroups increasing with the increasing power have to be suppressed to beas small as possible, while the amount of aberrations is suppressed. Ithas been desired to develop a four-group system zoom lens satisfyingthese requests.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment of the inventionis to provide a miniaturized high-power zoom lens which can be usedsuitably for a surveillance video camera or the like.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a zoomlens including: in order from an object side of the zoom lens, a firstgroup having a positive refractive power; a second group having anegative refractive power; an aperture stop; a third group having apositive refractive power; and a fourth group having a positiverefractive power. In zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end,the first group and the third group are fixed, and the second group ismoved to an image side thereof along an optical axis so as to performzooming, while the fourth group is moved along the optical axis so as tocompensate the fluctuation of the imaging position caused by the zoomingand perform focusing. The first group has a three-group four-lensconfiguration in which a cemented lens of one negative lens and onepositive lens, and two positive single-lenses are arranged in this orderfrom the object side, and the second group has a three-group four-lensconfiguration in which two single-lenses each having a negativerefractive power with a strong concave surface on the image side, and acemented lens of one double-concave lens and one positive lens arearranged in this order from the object side. The zoom lens satisfies thefollowing conditions:4.0<|M2/f2|<6.0  (1)2.2<ft/f1<4.00  (2)where M2 designates a moving distance of the second group from thewide-angle end to the telephoto end, f2 designates a focal length of thesecond group, ft designates a focal length of the total optics (the zoomlens) in the telephoto end, and f1 designates a focal length of thefirst group.

In the first aspect of the invention, the first group and the thirdgroup are set as fixed groups, and the second group is moved along theoptical axis so as to perform zooming, while the fluctuation of theimaging position caused by the zooming is compensated by moving thefourth group along the optical axis. Particularly, the first group isformed into a three-group four-lens configuration of a cemented lens andtwo positive single-lenses, and the second group is formed into athree-group four-lens configuration of two single-lenses and a cementedlens. The refractive powers and the numbers of lenses in the first groupand the second group are set suitably. Thus, it is possible to obtain alens system small in size and high in power.

The zoom lens according to the first configuration of the invention ispreferably designed so that the third group has a two-group two-lensconfiguration in which a double-convex lens having at least one asphericsurface, and a negative meniscus lens having a concave surface on theobject side are arranged in this order from the object side. It is alsopreferable that the fourth group has a two-group three-lensconfiguration in which a double-convex lens having at least one asphericsurface, and a cemented lens of a negative meniscus lens having aconcave surface on the image side and one positive lens are arranged inthis order from the object side. Further it is also preferable that animage-side surface of the positive lens of the cemented lens in thefourth group is a flat surface or a concave surface.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a zoomlens including: in order from an object side of the zoom lens, a firstgroup having a positive refractive power; a second group having anegative refractive power; an aperture stop; a third group having apositive refractive power; and a fourth group having a positiverefractive power. In zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end,the first group and the third group are fixed, and the second group ismoved to an image side thereof along an optical axis so as to performzooming, while the fourth group is moved along the optical axis so as tocompensate the fluctuation of the imaging position caused by the zoomingand perform focusing. The second group has a configuration in which atleast a single lens, and a cemented lens of one double-concave lens andone positive lens are arranged in this order from the object side, andthe second group satisfies the following condition:0.9<|f2a/f2|<1.80  (3)where f2 a designates a focal length of the lens closer to the objectside than the cemented lens in the second group, and f2 designates afocal length of the second group.

In the zoom lens according to the second configuration of the invention,the first group and the third group are set as fixed groups, and thesecond group is moved along the optical axis so as to perform zooming,while the fluctuation of the imaging position caused by the zooming iscompensated by moving the fourth group along the optical axis.Particularly, the second group serving as a zooming group is constitutedby at least one single lens and a cemented lens so as to satisfy theconditional expression (3). Thus, it is possible to obtain a lens systemsmall in size and high in power.

In order to satisfy the conditional expression (3), it is preferablethat the second group has a three-group four-lens configuration in whichtwo single-lenses each having a negative refractive power with a strongconcave surface on the image side, and a cemented lens of onedouble-concave lens and one positive lens are arranged in this orderfrom the object side.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features of the invention will appear more fully upon considerationof the exemplary embodiment of the invention, which are schematicallyset forth in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first example of a zoom lensaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, correspondinglyto Example 1;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a second example of a zoom lensaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, correspondinglyto Example 2;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a third example of a zoom lensaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, correspondinglyto Example 3;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a fourth example of a zoom lensaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, correspondinglyto Example 4;

FIG. 5 is a table showing fundamental lens data of a zoom lens accordingto Example 1;

FIGS. 6A-6B are tables showing other lens data of the zoom lensaccording to Example 1, wherein FIG. 6A shows data about zooming andFIG. 6B shows data about aspheric surfaces;

FIG. 7 is a table showing fundamental lens data of a zoom lens accordingto Example 2;

FIGS. 8A-8B are tables showing other lens data of the zoom lensaccording to Example 2, wherein FIG. 8A shows data about zooming andFIG. 8B shows data about aspheric surfaces;

FIG. 9 is a table showing fundamental lens data of a zoom lens accordingto Example 3;

FIGS. 10A-10B are tables showing other lens data of the zoom lensaccording to Example 3, wherein FIG. 10A shows data about zooming andFIG. 10B shows data about aspheric surfaces;

FIG. 11 is a table showing fundamental lens data of a zoom lensaccording to Example 4;

FIGS. 12A-12B are tables showing other lens data of the zoom lensaccording to Example 4, wherein FIG. 12A shows data about zooming andFIG. 12B shows data about aspheric surfaces;

FIG. 13 is a table collectively showing values about conditionalexpressions in the respective examples.

FIGS. 14A-14C are aberration diagrams showing various aberrations in awide-angle end of the zoom lens according to Example 1, wherein FIG. 14Ashows spherical aberration, FIG. 14B shows astigmatism and FIG. 14Cshows distortion;

FIGS. 15A-15C are aberration diagrams showing various aberrations in atelephoto end of the zoom lens according to Example 1, wherein FIG. 15Ashows spherical aberration, FIG. 15B shows astigmatism and FIG. 15Cshows distortion;

FIGS. 16A-16C are aberration diagrams showing various aberrations in awide-angle end of the zoom lens according to Example 2, wherein FIG. 16Ashows spherical aberration, FIG. 16B shows astigmatism and FIG. 16Cshows distortion;

FIGS. 17A-17C are aberration diagrams showing various aberrations in atelephoto end of the zoom lens according to Example 2, wherein FIG. 17Ashows spherical aberration, FIG. 17B shows astigmatism and FIG. 17Cshows distortion;

FIGS. 18A-18C are aberration diagrams showing various aberrations in awide-angle end of the zoom lens according to Example 3, wherein FIG. 18Ashows spherical aberration, FIG. 18 shows astigmatism and FIG. 18C showsdistortion;

FIGS. 19A-19C are aberration diagrams showing various aberrations in atelephoto end of the zoom lens according to Example 3, wherein FIG. 19Ashows spherical aberration, FIG. 19B shows astigmatism and FIG. 19Cshows distortion;

FIGS. 20A-20C are aberration diagrams showing various aberrations in awide-angle end of the zoom lens according to Example 4, wherein FIG. 20Ashows spherical aberration, FIG. 20 shows astigmatism and FIG. 20C showsdistortion; and

FIGS. 21A-21C are aberration diagrams showing various aberrations in atelephoto end of the zoom lens according to Example 4, wherein FIG. 21Ashows spherical aberration, FIG. 21B shows astigmatism and FIG. 21Cshows distortion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Although the invention will be described below with reference to theexemplary embodiments thereof, the following exemplary embodiments andmodifications do not restrict the invention.

According to an exemplary embodiment of a first aspect of the invention,the first group and the third group are set as fixed groups, and thesecond group is moved along the optical axis so as to perform zooming,while the fluctuation of the imaging position caused by the zooming iscompensated by moving the fourth group along the optical axis. In thefour-group system zoom lens configured thus, particularly, therefractive powers and the numbers of lenses in the first group and thesecond group serving as a zooming group are set suitably. Thus, it ispossible to obtain a lens system small in size and high in power to beused suitably for a surveillance video camera or the like.

According to an exemplary embodiment of a second aspect of theinvention, the first group and the third group are set as fixed groups,and the second group is moved along the optical axis so as to performzooming, while the fluctuation of the imaging position caused by thezooming is compensated by moving the fourth group along the opticalaxis. In the four-group system zoom lens configured thus, particularly,the second group serving as a zooming group is set suitably. Thus, it ispossible to obtain a lens system small in size and high in power to beused suitably for a surveillance video camera or the like.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below in detailwith reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a first example of a zoom lens according to a firstexemplary embodiment of the invention. This example corresponds to thelens configuration of a first numerical example (FIG. 5 and FIGS. 6A-6B)which will be described later. FIG. 2 shows a second exemplary example.This example corresponds to the lens configuration of a second numericalexample (FIG. 7 and FIGS. 8A-8B) which will be described later. FIG. 3shows a third exemplary example. This example corresponds to the lensconfiguration of a third numerical example (FIG. 9 and FIGS. 10A-10B)which will be described later. FIG. 4 shows a fourth exemplary example.This example corresponds to the lens configuration of a fourth numericalexample (FIG. 11 and FIGS. 12A-12B) which will be described later. InFIGS. 1-4, the reference sign Ri designates the curvature radius of ani-th surface on the assumption that the first surface is a surface of aconstituent element located nearest to an object side, and the suffix iis given to increase sequentially as the i-th surface is nearer to animage side (imaging side). The reference sign Di designates the surfacespacing on an optical axis Z1 between the i-th surface and the (i+1)-thsurface. As for the reference sign Di, only the surface spacing D7, D14,D19 and D24 which are variable in accordance with zooming are shown. Theconfiguration examples have the same fundamental configuration.Description will be made below with reference to the first example shownin FIG. 1.

This zoom lens is used for a video camera, an electronic still camera,or the like. Particularly the zoom lens is used suitably for asurveillance video camera. The zoom lens has a first group 10, a secondgroup 20, an aperture stop St, a third group 30 and a fourth group 40disposed along the optical axis Z1 in this order from the object side.The first group 10 has a positive refractive power. The second group 20has a negative refractive power. The third group 30 disposed just behindthe aperture stop St has a positive refractive power. The fourth group40 has a positive refractive power.

A not-shown imaging device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or aCMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) is disposed on an imagingplane of the zoom lens. For example, a cover glass GC for protecting theimaging plane is disposed between the fourth group 40 and the imagingdevice. In addition, a flat-sheet optical member such as an infrared cutfilter may be disposed in accordance with the configuration of a camerawhere the lens will be mounted.

When zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end is performed inthe zoom lens, the first group 10 and the third group 30 are fixed, andthe second group 20 is moved to the image side along the optical axis soas to perform zooming, while the fourth group 40 is moved along theoptical axis so as to compensate the fluctuation of the imaging positioncaused by the zooming and perform focusing. The second group 20 and thefourth group 40 move to draw trajectories shown by the solid lines inFIG. 1 in accordance with the zooming from the wide-angle end to thetelephoto end. In FIGS. 1-3, the reference sign W designates a lensposition in the wide-angle end, and T designates a lens position in thetelephoto end.

The first group 10 has a three-group four-lens configuration in which acemented lens of one negative lens L11 and one positive lens L12, andtwo positive single-lenses L13 and L14 are arranged in this order fromthe object side. It is preferable that the negative lens L11 is anegative meniscus lens having a convex surface on the object side, andthe positive lens L12 is a positive meniscus lens having a convexsurface on the object side. It is preferable that the positivesingle-lenses L13 and L14 are positive meniscus lenses each having aconvex surface on the object side.

The second group 20 is constituted by at least one single lens and acemented lens arranged in this order from the object side. The cementedlens has one double-concave lens and one positive lens. Morespecifically, the second group 20 has a three-group four-lensconfiguration in which two single-lenses L21 and L22 each having anegative refractive power with a strong concave surface on the imageside, whose curvature is stronger than a curvature on the object sideand a cemented lens of one double-concave lens L23 and one positive lensL24 are arranged in this order from the object side. It is preferablethat the negative single-lenses L21 and L22 are negative meniscus lenseseach having a convex surface on the object side.

The first group 10 and the second group 20 satisfy the followingconditional expressions (1) and (2).4.0<|M2/f2|<6.0  (1)2.2<ft/f1<4.00  (2)where M2 designates a moving distance of the second group 20 from thewide-angle end to the telephoto end, f2 designates a focal length of thesecond group 20, ft designates a focal length of the total optics in thetelephoto end, and f1 designates a focal length of the first group 10.

It is preferable that the second group 20 further satisfies thefollowing conditional expression (3)0.9<|f2a/f2|<1.80  (3)where f2 a designates a focal length of lenses L21 and L22 closer to theobject side than the cemented lens in the second group 20, and f2designates a focal length of the second group 20.

The third group 30 has a two-group two-lens configuration in which adouble-convex lens L31 having at least one aspheric surface and anegative meniscus lens L32 having a concave surface on the object sideare arranged in this order from the object side. The fourth group 40 hasa two-group three-lens configuration in which a double-convex lens L41having at least one aspheric surface, and a cemented lens of onenegative meniscus lens L42 having a concave surface on the image sideand one positive lens L43 are arranged in this order from the objectside. The image-side surface of the positive lens L43 forming thecemented lens in the fourth group 40 is a flat surface (examples ofFIGS. 1, 2 and 4) or a concave surface (example of FIG. 3).

Next, the operation and effect of the zoom lens configured as describedabove will be described.

In this zoom lens, the first group 10 and the third group 30 are set asfixed groups, and the second group 20 is moved along the optical axis soas to perform zooming, while the fluctuation of the imaging positioncaused by the zooming is compensated by moving the fourth group 40 alongthe optical axis. In the first group 10, the cemented lens is disposedon the object side, and the two positive single-lenses L13 and L14 aredisposed behind the cemented lens. Thus, the positive power isdistributed to improve various aberrations. In the second group 20serving as a zooming group, the cemented lens is disposed on the imageside, and the two negative single-lenses L21 and L22 are disposed infront of the cemented lens. Thus, the negative power is distributed toimprove various aberrations.

The conditional expression (1) defines a proper relation between themoving distance and the refractive power of the second group 20 servingas a zooming group. If the ratio is higher than the upper limit of theconditional expression (1), higher power can be obtained, but therefractive power of the second group 20 will be so high that thecorrection of the spherical aberration in the telephoto end will beinsufficient. In addition, when the moving distance M2 of the secondgroup 20 increases, the zooming lens will be prevented from being madecompact. It is not preferable that the ratio is lower than the lowerlimit because high power cannot be expected.

The conditional expression (2) defines a proper relation about therefractive power of the first group 10. If the ratio is higher than theupper limit of the conditional expression (2), the refractive power ofthe first group 10 will be so high that the correction of the sphericalaberration in the telephoto end will be excessive, and the axialchromatic aberration will also increase. It is not preferable that theratio is lower than the lower limit because the focal length of thefirst group 10 is so long that the zooming lens is prevented from beingmade compact.

The conditional expression (3) defines a proper relation between thecemented lens and the other lens in the second group 20 serving as azooming group. If the ratio is higher than the upper limit of theconditional expression (3), the negative refractive power of thecemented lens in the second group 20 will increase. As a result, thefunction to correct aberration occurring due to the lenses closer to theobject side than the cemented lens will be lowered so that the amount ofaberration occurring due to the second group 20 will increase. If theratio is lower than the lower limit, the refractive power of the lensescloser to the object side than the cemented lens in the second group 20will increase so that aberration occurring due to the lenses closer tothe object side than the cemented lens will increase. As a result, thecorrection of aberration in the cemented lens will be so insufficientthat the amount of aberration occurring due to the second group 20 willincrease unpreferably. In order to satisfy the conditional expression(3), it is preferable that the second group 20 has a three-groupfour-lens configuration in which the two single-lenses L21 and L22 eachhaving negative refractive power with a strong concave surface on theimage side, and the cemented lens of the double-concave lens L23 and thepositive lens L24 are arranged in this order from the object side.

As described above, the zoom lens according to this embodiment is afour-group system zoom lens in which particularly the refractive powersand the numbers of lenses of the first group 10 and the second group 20serving as a zooming group are set suitably. Accordingly, it is possibleto obtain a lens system small in size and high in power to be usedsuitably for a surveillance video camera or the like.

Next, description will be made on specific numerical examples of zoomlenses according to this embodiment. First to fourth numerical exampleswill be described together below.

FIG. 5 and FIGS. 6A-6B show specific lens data (Example 1) correspondingto the configuration of the zoom lens shown in FIG. 1. Particularly,FIG. 5 shows fundamental lens data thereof. FIG. 6A shows data variablein accordance with zooming, and FIG. 6B shows data about asphericsurfaces.

In the lens data shown in FIG. 5, in the field of a surface number Si,the number of an i-th (i=1 to 26) surface is shown on the assumptionthat the first surface is a surface of a constituent element locatednearest to the object side, and the suffix i is given to increasesequentially as the i-th surface Si is nearer to the image side. In thefield of a curvature radius Ri, the curvature radius of the i-th surfacefrom the object side is shown correspondingly to the reference sign Rishown in FIG. 1. In the field of a surface spacing Di, the spacing onthe optical axis between the i-th surface Si and the (i+1)-th surfaceSi+1 from the object side is shown likewise. The values of the curvatureradius Ri and the surface spacing Di are expressed by units ofmillimeters (mm). In the fields of Ndj and vdj, a refractive index andan Abbe number of a j-th (j=1 to 14) optical element from the objectside for a d-line (wavelength 587.6 nm) are shown respectively.

In the zoom lens according to Example 1, the second group 20 and thefourth group 40 move on the optical axis in accordance with zooming. Thevalues of surface spacing D7, D14, D19 and D24 around these groups aretherefore variable. FIG. 6A shows data about values of the surfacespacing D7, D14, D19 and D24 in the wide-angle end and the telephoto endat the time of zooming. FIG. 6A also shows the paraxial focal length f(mm) of the total system, the F-number (FNO.) and the view angle 2ω (ω:half angle of view) in the wide-angle end and the telephoto end. Thezoom ratio of the zoom lens according to Example 1 is about 34 times.

In the lens data of FIG. 5, the mark * on the left side of its surfacenumber designates the lens surface has an aspherical shape. In the zoomlens according to Example 1, the both surfaces S16 and S17 of thedouble-convex lens L31 in the third group 30 and the both surfaces S20and S21 of the double-convex lens L41 in the fourth group 40 haveaspherical shapes. The fundamental lens data in FIG. 5 include numericvalues of curvature radii near the optical axis as the curvature radiiof the aspheric surfaces.

In each numeric value shown as aspheric data in FIG. 6B, the sign “E”designates the numeric value following the sign “E” is an “exponent” inbase 10, and the numeric value followed by the sign “E” is multiplied bythe numeric value expressed by an exponential function in base 10. Forexample, “1.0E-02” designates “1.0×10⁻²”.

The aspheric data include values of coefficients RB_(i) and KA in anequation of an aspheric surface shape expressed by the followingequation (A). More in detail, Z designates the length (mm) of aperpendicular line dropped on a tangent plane (a plane perpendicular tothe optical axis) of a summit of an aspheric surface from a point on theaspheric surface located at height h from the optical axis. Eachaspheric surface in the zoom lens according to Example 1 is expressed byeffective use of 3 to 16 order coefficients RB₃ to RB₁₆ as the asphericcoefficient RB_(i).Z=C·h ²/{1+(1−KA·C ² ·h ²)^(1/2) }+ΣRB _(i) ·h ^(i)  (A)

(i=3 to n, n is an integer not smaller than 3)

where:

Z: depth (mm) of aspheric surface

h: distance (height) (mm) from optical axis to lens surface

K: conic constant

C: paraxial curvature=1/R

(R: paraxial curvature radius)

RB_(i): i-order aspheric coefficient

In the same manner as the zoom lens according to Example 1 describedabove, lens data of a zoom lens according to Example 2 are shown in FIG.7 and FIGS. 8A-8B. Similarly, lens data of a zoom lens according toExample 3 are shown in FIG. 9 and FIGS. 10A-10B. Similarly, lens data ofa zoom lens according to Example 4 are shown in FIG. 11 and FIGS.12A-12B. In the same manner as in Example 1, the zoom lenses accordingto Examples 2 and 3 also have a zoom ratio of about 34 times. The zoomlenses according to Example 4 have a zoom ratio of about 24 times. Ineach of Examples 2 to 4, the both surfaces S16 and S17 of thedouble-convex lens L31 in the third group 30 and the both surfaces S20and S21 of the double-convex lens L41 in the fourth group 40 haveaspheric shapes, as in the same manner as in Example 1. In Examples 2and 3, each aspheric surface is expressed by effective use of 3 to 16order coefficients RB₃ to RB₁₆ as the aspheric coefficient RB_(i), as inthe same manner as in Example 1. In Example 4, each aspheric surface isexpressed by effective use of 3 to 20 order coefficients RB₃ to RB₂₀ asthe aspheric coefficient RB_(i).

FIG. 13 collectively shows values about the aforementioned conditionalexpressions (1) to (3) in each example. As is understood from FIG. 13,the zoom lenses according to the respective examples are within theranges of the numeric values of the respective conditional expressions.

FIGS. 14A-14C show spherical aberration, astigmatism and distortion(distortional aberration) in the wide-angle end in the zoom lens ofExample 1 respectively. FIGS. 15A-15C show similar aberrations in thetelephoto end respectively. Each aberration diagram shows aberration atthe d-line as reference wavelength. The spherical aberration diagramalso shows aberrations at the g-line (wavelength 435.8 nm) and theC-line (wavelength 656.3 nm). In the astigmatism diagram, the solid lineshows aberration in a sagittal direction, and the broken line showsaberration in a tangential direction. FNO. designates an F-number, and ωdesignates half an angle of view.

Similarly, various aberrations in the zoom lens of Example 2 are shownin FIGS. 16A-16C (wide-angle end) and FIGS. 17A-17C (telephoto end).Similarly, various aberrations in the zoom lens of Example 3 are shownin FIGS. 18A-18C (wide-angle end) and FIGS. 19A-19C (telephoto end).Similarly, various aberrations in the zoom lens of Example 4 are shownin FIGS. 20A-20C (wide-angle end) and FIGS. 21A-21C (telephoto end).

As is understood from the numeric data and the aberration diagramsdescribed above, each example can realize a zoom lens which can correctvarious aberrations well and which is small in size and high in power tobe used suitable for a surveillance video camera or the like.

The invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiment and theaforementioned examples, but various modifications can be made thereon.For example, the values of the curvature radius, the surface spacing andthe refractive index of each lens element are not limited to those shownin any numerical example. They can take other values.

The present application claims foreign priority based on Japanese PatentApplication Nos. JP2005-316217 and JP2006-168954, filed Oct. 31, 2005and Jun. 19, 2006, respectively, the contents of which is incorporatedherein by reference.

1. A zoom lens comprising: in order from an object side of the zoomlens, a first group having a positive refractive power, the first grouphaving a three-group four-lens configuration in which a cemented lens ofone negative lens and one positive lens, and two positive single-lensesare arranged in this order from the object side; a second group having anegative refractive power, the second group having a three-groupfour-lens configuration in which two single-lenses each having anegative refractive power with a strong concave surface on an image sidethereof, and a cemented lens of one double-concave lens and one positivelens are arranged in this order from the object side; an aperture stop;a third group having a positive refractive power; and a fourth grouphaving a positive refractive power; wherein when zooming from awide-angle end to a telephoto end is performed, the first group and thethird group are fixed, and the second group is moved to the image sidethereof along an optical axis so as to perform the zooming, while thefourth group is moved along the optical axis so as to compensate afluctuation of an imaging position caused by the zooming and performfocusing, and the zoom lens satisfies conditions:4.0<|M2/f2|<6.0  (1)2.2<ft/f1<4.00  (2) wherein M2 designates a moving distance of thesecond group from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end; f2 designatesa focal length of the second group; ft designates a focal length of thezoom lens in the telephoto end; and f1 designates a focal length of thefirst group.
 2. The zoom lens according to claim 1, wherein the thirdgroup has a two-group two-lens configuration in which a double-convexlens having at least one aspheric surface, and a negative meniscus lenshaving a concave surface on the object side are arranged in this orderfrom the object side.
 3. The zoom lens according to claim 1, wherein thefourth group has a two-group three-lens configuration in which adouble-convex lens having at least one aspheric surface, and a cementedlens of a negative meniscus lens having a concave surface on the imageside and one positive lens are arranged in this order from the objectside.
 4. The zoom lens according to claim 2, wherein the fourth grouphas a two-group three-lens configuration in which a double-convex lenshaving at least one aspheric surface, and a cemented lens of a negativemeniscus lens having a concave surface on the image side and onepositive lens are arranged in this order from the object side.
 5. Thezoom lens according to claim 3, wherein an image-side surface of thepositive lens of the cemented lens in the fourth group is a flat surfaceor a concave surface.
 6. The zoom lens according to claim 4, wherein animage-side surface of the positive lens of the cemented lens in thefourth group is a flat surface or a concave surface.